Headlines - 30.10.2015

Mustafa: I’ll annul the Association if Court deems it anti-constitutional (dailies)

Most media cover an interview that Kosovo Prime Minister Isa Mustafa gave to KTV on Thursday. Mustafa said his message to the people of Kosovo is that the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities does not have executive competencies and that he signed the agreement only upon receiving guarantees from the European Union and the United States of America that this mechanism will not be a third tier of government in Kosovo. “The format of this Association derives from the first agreements for the normalization of relations with Serbia. We did not agree to enter any element that goes against our Constitution and laws. You know that we did not agree to sign the agreement the first time, but we did so only after the U.S. and Mogherini’s office assured us that it will not have executive competencies and will not be a third tier of government,” he said. Mustafa noted that if the Constitutional Court of Kosovo rules that the agreement on the Association is against the Constitution, the agreement will not be implemented. “The agreement needs to be respected because we have assumed international obligations. But let me repeat that we will annul the agreement if the Court deems it anti-constitutional”. Mustafa also said that members of the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities can be arrested if they violate Kosovo’s laws or if they refuse to implement the decisions of the Kosovo government.

Jahjaga to address Constitutional Court today (Klan Kosova)

Advisor to President of Kosovo Atifete Jahjaga, Garentina Kraja, told Klan Kosova that Jahjaga will address the Constitutional Court today to ask it review the legality of the agreement for establishment of the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities. Kraja said the president has had separate meetings last week with both the ruling and opposition parties and “has offered a way out of this crisis.”

Opposition doesn’t step back (Zeri)

The decision of the President Atifete Jahjaga to address the Constitutional Court regarding the agreement for the establishment of the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities didn’t make the opposition parties to unblock the work of the Assembly. According to opposition representatives, they will continue the protest inside the Assembly, since, as they say, they have no hope that the Constitutional Court will make the right decision. Furthermore, according to them, Jahjaga was pressured to address the Constitutional Court.

Haradinaj: Majority does not have legitimacy to give away territory (Epoka)

The leader of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, Ramush Haradinaj, said that a parliamentary majority of a governing mandate does not have the legitimacy to allow decision-making to a neighboring country. “No parliamentary majority of a governing mandate has the legitimacy to give away an inch of Kosovo’s land. Not today, not tomorrow or ever,” Haradinaj said after the meeting of his party’s Steering Council in Pristina.

Kocijancic: Agreements need to be respected (Kosova Sot)

Spokesperson for the EU High Representative for Security and Foreign Policy, Maja Kocijancic, said that Pristina and Belgrade should implement the agreements they reached in the EU-facilitated dialogue in Brussels. “Everything that has been agreed to in the context of the dialogue should be implemented regardless of internal procedures which we do not wish to comment on,” said Kocijancic.

Jones: Special court can help clarify the past (Koha)

In a front-page interview for the paper, Dutch Foreign Minister Renee Jones said that the Kosovo Assembly and the Dutch Parliament have a few more steps to make before the special court that will address war crimes allegations in Kosovo can become fully operational. “We haven’t reached that point yet. Several agreements need to be reached; they will be sent first to the Kosovo Assembly and then to the Dutch Parliament. We are a democracy and in democracies parliaments always play an important role,” she said. Jones also said that it is important for every country to clarify its past. “And if the special court will give a contribution in this respect, this will be very good for your country,” she added. Jones said the Netherlands was always willing to help make the special court functional, but added that negotiations are currently underway between the European Union and Kosovo’s authorities. Asked when Kosovo should get visa liberalization, Jones said the key focus of local authorities should in meeting the requirements that are mainly related to the fight against organized crime and corruption.

Mustafa met with the Austrian President (Epoka e Re)

The Prime Minister of Kosovo, Isa Mustafa hosted on Thursday a meeting with the Austrian President, Heinz Fischer. The latter praised the achievements made in Kosovo and congratulated Mustafa for signing the Stabilization Association Agreement, stressing that important work for European integration is ahead of Kosovo. He also expressed the support of Austria for Kosovo’s international integration such as membership of UNESCO. Fischer stressed the importance of further and closer economic cooperation between Kosovo and Austria.

Miglietta and Fischer discuss security in Kosovo (Epoka)

The Austrian President Heinz Fischer met on Thursday at KFOR Headquarters with the KFOR Commander, Major General Guglielmo Luigi Miglietta. They discussed the recent political developments and the security situation in Kosovo. General Miglietta stressed the importance of the KFOR role as the third responder, in support of Kosovo Police and EULEX as well as all other local and international organizations. The Austrian contingent at KFOR represents the biggest contributor of a non-member state in NATO. Fischer confirmed that Austria is completely engaged to keep stability in Kosovo and that it will continue to support KFOR for a democratic and peaceful Kosovo.

Limaj to face court today for MTPT case (Epoka)

The leader of the Initiative for Kosovo (NISMA) and former Minister for Transport and Post-Telecommunication, Fatmir Limaj, and the others accused for the MTPT case, will appear today in front of the Basic Court in Pristina. Limaj and four of his cooperators are being accused of organized crime, abuse of duty, taking bribes and abuse of authorization. The session today is expected to harmonize dates between the prosecutor and the lawyers of those charged. The indictment against Fatmir Limaj, his adviser Endrit Shala, chief of procurement Nexhat Krasniqi and businessman Florim Zuka, was consolidated in September of this year.

No decision on Kurti’s and Haxhiu’s arrest warrant (Zeri)

The paper reports that the Prosecution Office in Pristina has not yet made a request for the issuance of arrest warrants for Vetevendosje Movement MPs, Albin Kurti and Albulena Haxhiu. Kurti and Haxhiu were invited for an interview and the deadline for them to appear for the interviews has already expired. Chief Prosecutor Ymer Beka said that it is up to the case prosecutor whether to issue arrest warrants for them or not.

Mentor Shala reelected RTK director (Epoka)

The board of the directors of Kosovo’s public broadcaster RTK, reelected on Thursday by secret vote Mentor Shala as RTK Director for a three-year mandate. “The Board of the Directors of Kosovo Radio-Television (RTK) today, 29 October 2015, has interviewed the four candidates for the General Director of the RTK. After interviewing the candidates, the Board of the RTK Directors, elected with secret vote Mentor Shala as RTK General Director for a three-year mandate,” was written in the press release of the Board of Directors.